Apparatus for cleansing and disinfecting



April 24, 1928. 1,667,683

A. H. THOMPSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLEANvSNG AND DISINFECTING f m Filed Dec.1. 1924 2 Sheetssheet 1 Fig'. I'. 449' g, K3

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April 24, 1928. 1,667,683

A. H. THOMPSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND DISINFECTING Filed Dec. l, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lfzecl f7. ,72cm/uson.

Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT AFP'IC;

ALFRED H. THonrsoN AND RUSSELL F. THOMPSON, or'Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. APPARATUS Fon cLEANsING AND DISINFECTING.

Application vfiled December 1, 1,924. Serial No. 753,892.

This discovery and invention isapplicable for cleaning and removing foreign matter such as dirt, mud, oil, grase, tar, mk, stains,

i paint, varnish and other undesired'accumulations or applications from numerous articles and materials; also for disinfecting and destroying vegetable and animal llfe, and for cleaning and disinfecting rugs, f urniture, walls, carpets, etc.; also for cleaning automobiles and the like, and the surfaces of buildings, stucco walls, and tunnel walls; also for destroying fungus growth 1n swlmming pools, and drinking fountains, and for destroying bugs, roaches, flies and other vermin.

The apparatus is adapted for installation and use in rug factories, carpet works, dye

shops, slaughter houses, meat markets, oil

kitchens, Y restaurants, cafes, cleaning racks, garages, and understood from the refineries, Cafeterias, auto other places, as will be .descrlption hereinafter set forth.

Heretofore it has been common to apply 2 insecticides, disinfectants y and cleansing r agentsthrough the medium of a suitable vehicle as water, which may hold the desctruc-v tive or cleansing agent in solution; but such application has heretofore been. accomplished: by placing a quantity ofthe solution in a chamber and discharging such solution -under pressure from such chamber through asuitable nozzle to the place of use. e -have discovered thatl with different classes of work, it is essential that different pressures, different temperatures, different mixtures and different densities be employed to accomplish certain results.l An object is to facilitate such changes. y

For convenience of description we lshall hereinafter refer to the cleansing, disinfecting and organism destroying substance as a detergent; it being understood that the application of any of these agents is analogous to the others.

Ve have discovered that by delivering independently of each other to a narrow confined space having a restrict d outlet, a supply of detergent or other active agent and a supply of water vor other diluent, each of said supplies being under a pressure greater than atmospheric, and delivering, to such agent and diluent in such space an expansive medium at a pressure that would cause such medium to expand in said space, and to thereby atomize or vaporize the detergent and `applyin resultmg mixture such mixture in a spray or fog to th material to be cleansedv or dismfected; ,the work of cleansing and disinfecting such surfaces or places be performed more perfectly and more easily than heretofore; and also that the character of the. disinfecting spray can be by. independently regulating the supplies of the active agent, the diluent and the expansive medium, respectively, and that the bestl results may be obtained by appropriate regulation of the detergent, the diluent and the expansive medium, respectively, to vary the proportions of the same going to make up the spray finally delivered from the nozzle to the surface, material or place to be cleansed a predetermined determined strength mixture.

An object of ourV invention is to provide means whereby any combination of different pressures, different temperatures, different mixtures and different densities can be produced to meet a demand that is now existing and not supplied except by this invention, so far as we are aware.

The invention is alsoadapted to be applied by substituting for steam apparatus, a compressed air apparatus connected to the supply chamber to supply a deter ent or cleansing substance to a mixing c amber with a connection from the air pressure producing apparatus to said mixing chamber, and a hot water generator to supply hot Water to said mixing camber, and a mixture of the detergent or other substance, with air and hot water supplied through a nozzle in any given strength of such substance at any practical pressure, temperature' and density that may be determined upon, and to discharge the same where desired.

An object is to enable the operator to safely clean surfaces or materials that would be damaged or spoiled by detergents of too rich or strong character, of too high temperature, or at too high some combination of richness,

pressure and density.

pressure, and at a preand temperature of temperature,

pressure, or

to make it practical to use with safety in locations such establishments, dye Works, automobiles, garages, cleaning stations, oil refineries, etc., Where 't would be hazardous to operate the system with a heating element.

We have made provision whereby the steam generating element used in the steam cleaning system can be installed in a. location protected from danger, and steam carried from. the steam generator to the deterent chamber and also to the mixing and distributing apparatuslocated where the Work is to be executed, apparatuses may be installed in diierentlocations, connected to the same steam genern bjea is this apparatus as in cleaning' ating apparatus.

It is not as practical to use a mixing and supply apparatus at any great distance from the Work as it is near the same, condensation and loss ci. pressure and temperature that occurs in the distributing line p from the apparatus to the nozzle.

' chambers, and delivery made at With this invention it is possible and practical to locate the steam generating apparatus-in a safe and suitable location an connect steam to theA apparatus or to apparatuses located in dierent locations an each unit will be independent of the other.

In somey instances a hot Water heating generator may be connected to the mixing chamber of the cleaning apparatus and hot Water supplied to mixing and distributing the nozzle at diierent tempera-tures by a supply o compressed air to atomize the combination of water and detergent in a proper mixture, that may be regulate and sufficient cutting force applied to remove the foreign matter from the material or place to be cleaned.

With a connection from a source of air supply, applied to the detergent chamber `to create a pressure upon the detergent therein to deliver the detergent to the mixing chamber, and adding an expansive medium to perfect the mixture and to expel the same from the chambery it is possible and practical to locat-e said airpressure producing apparatus in one location, the hot Water heating apparatus in some other convenient and safe location, and the cleaning apparatus or apparatuses located near the Work to be done, making it possible for the discovery and invention to be used with high eiiiciency Without danger to life or limb from tire or explosion under any conditions likely to be encountered.

It is desirable in operating With a predetermined strength odetergent, to bc able to stop the discharge ot' detergent while changing from. one article toanother and to be hot able to continue with the'same strengtspray.

An object of the invention is to adapt the or whereby different ed by providing d This is effected by f detailed same to intermittent use without changing the adjustment. For example; in cleaning found desirable at the outdetergent with steam o-r air with a liquid diluent as hot or cold water to a portion of the rug, and then to shut oit the detergent and apply only'steam, or steam and Water, or only Water;` and then with the next rug it may be desirable to treat the rug with detergent, ste-am and Water; and We have made provision Whereby intermittent and varied use of the apparatus can be had and return to the exact predetermined proportions of the various agents and vehicles used; .and this is effector each supply device, both a regulating valve `and a control valve; the regulating valves being set to predetermne aximum iiow, and the cont-rol valves being adapted to turn. on and cut oi the flow through .the regulating valve.

An object' ofthe invention is to enable the operator lto eiect a mixturev of the detergent, the diluent and the pressure medium or vehicle Without retard'ing the flow .of the diluent or the active cleans-ing agent., in case, from any cause, the spraying oriiice produces a back pressureon those two supplies. 'the addition of the expansive medium in the narrow' passage to perfect the mixture and to eject 4the same from the passage toward the nozzle;

Other objects, advantages and features of invention and discovery may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined description and the appended claims.

The understood by ing.k drawings, constructed in tion.

Figure 1 in vertical section,

discovery and invention may be reference to the accompanywhich illustrate apparatus accordance With the invenis al lfragmental elevation partly of a steam operated ap- :UL-m4, Figs. 1, 3 and 7.

Fig. `3 is a vertical section in a larger scale, of the valve assembly on line m, Figs. 2 and 6. The regulating valve is set and the control valve is closed.

Fig. 4f is an tal section on the plane indicated by line @a2-m4, Figs. 1, 3 and 7.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line indicated at m5, Fig. 6, tor the use respectively of steam or air, hot Water or cold Water With a cleansing, disinfecting or other agent. p

Fig. 6 is a tion on line m6, Figs. 1 an 7.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of an app-aratus constructed in accordance with this invention adapted for applying air pressure instead enlarged ragmental horizon-v lUU momes of steam pressure with the use of a hot water heater.

Like reference characters -in the several views indica-te like parts.

In Fig. 1, the character 1 indicates a heat ing element for generating steam in a boiler 2, which is shown as a tubular boiler above which is a drum 3 to apply to the storage feedwater supply reservoir a, heat from the hot gases escaping from the boiler tubes.

steam pipe 4 connected to the boiler 2 delivers steam through a manifold 5, pressure valve 6, and pressure pipe 7, to the vupper part of the detergent storage chamber 8, which is adapted to contain a detergent substance 9, preferably asolution.

The detergent storage chamber' 8 is provided with filling means 10fand a vent cock 11. Pressure is applied from the steam generating 'apparatus to the detergent con- 'tents 9 of the detergent chamber through pipe 4, manifold 5, pressure valve 6 and pipe 7. 12' is a valve controlled connection from said chamber 8 through a glass sight feed supply tube 13, and onward to the mixing chamber 14.

We combine with the mixing chamber 14, means for supplying the detergent substance, and steam and a diluent as hot r cold water, to said mixing chamber 14 which has an outlet 14 for the delivery of the desired mixture under predetermined tempera-tures and pressures; the steam being delivered by the pipe line 4, and 15 when the by-pass valve 16 is closed and the straight-away valve 17 is open.

18 is a solid column provided with a chamber 19 communicating with the valved by-pass pipe 20 and connected to thedetergent chamber 8 by the passage 21 so that ywhen the by-pass valve 16 is closed, the

detergent 9 may flow into and lill the chamber 19.

22 is a valve to regulate flow of detergent. from'chamber 19; and the same is shown as provided with an orifice 23 of small'v diameter, and a needle 24 for regulating the same to predetermine the flow of the detergent liquid from the chamber 8through the passage 21, chamber 19, valve chamber 25, valve 27, valve chamber and sight feed glass 13 from which the detergent may flow through a port 26, that may be closed by the valve 27, and when opened, allows .the detergent liquid to drip into chamber 28, through the drip nozzle 29 to the sight feed tube 13 whence it'llowsto the valve vchamber 30 through a control-v lmg valve 3l, that allows the detergentto How through chamber 32 into mixing chamber 14.

Valve 33 is provided vwith an ejector shown as an adjustable nozzle 133 that can be moved toward and from the vertical axis of the cylindrical passage or chamber 32 so 28,v drip' nozzle 29,

sure of a non-liquid Huid, such as air or steam, the valve 34 being a hot Water delilvery valve and valve 35 a cold water deliv-` ery valve.

The outlet 14 with a nozzle 36.

37 indicates the pipe leading from source of supply through valves 38 and v39, and leading into boiler 2 to fill the same to the Water line 40, which is determined by may be a hose vprovided valved feed water supply observation through the sight water glassl 41. feed Water supply pipe also leads through the check valve 42 and globe valve 43 into the feed water supply tank a` which is provided with the manually operated vent valve 44 to allow the escape of air, o1 steam, and with the gage 45 to register the pressure. When the boiler is filled to the water line 40 and the storage supply chamber a is lled to the vent 44, the closed by the operator.

46 is an equalizing pipe leading from the.

top of the boiler 2 to the top of the Water storage reservoir a, and controlled by a globe valve 47 which is ordinarily left open during operation after the storage reservoir a has been filled as just described.

48 is a feed water supply pipe to supply feed water from the reservoir a to the boiler through the globe valve 49, the automatic water feed 50, which is connected with the top of the boiler through pipe 51 and with the boiler below the water line through the valve 39 and pipe 52;-

Preferably the fire infthe fire box 1 will be controlledV automatically through a suit able controlling sure through pipe 54 and gas valve 55.

56 is a valve controlling the steam pipe 4.

Ina practical operation when the boiler 2 an reservoir au 38 and 43a're closed.

Valves 1,6 and 17 are closedand the detergent reservoir 8 is filled through vthe valve 10 which is then closed. The vent 11 is also closed. 57 is 'a safety valve on the detergent reservoir and 58 asight glass for said reservoir. n

59 is the smoke vent leading from the drum to a. stack, not shown.

In Fig. 7,60 is an air compreor supplying air through the valve 61 and compressed air pipe 62 to the pressure pipe 63 and valve 64 into the'detergent chamber 8 a service main or other valves43 and 38 are' device 53 under boiler preshave been lilled, the valves* vvalve 34 through and on through a supply regulating air pressure pipe 15 through valve 33 to supply air to the mixing chamber 14.

66 is a hot water generator connected to a'valve y67 and pipe 68, to sup-ply hot water to the mixing chamber 14 through the valve 34. See Fig. 6.

The' air pressure from tank 6() is also applied through pipe 5, valve 16 and pipe 20 and passage 21 to the reservoir so that when valve 64 is closed. and the valve, 16 and vent 11 are open; the compressed air will* cause an agitation of the contents of the reservoir 8, so tha-tf the mixture can.y be produced or maintained by closing lthe connections at the top of the reservoir 8 and openingvalve 22. See Fig. 7.

The compressed air, (or steam) may operate to clear said valves and the succeeding valves, and to b'loW any sediment out through the nozzle 36.

The cold water main 69 lleads 'through valve 70 into the water heater 66, which is provided with the heating element 170, and said cold water pipe 69 is connected by a branch 71 with the water valve 35 to supply cold water tothe mixing chamber. See Fig. 6.

The ,operation of either apparatus is readily understood from the foregoing.

The operator observing the sight feed and manipulating the various valves may determine the exact proportionsv of detergent, hot water, cold water and steam or air from time to time as the work'proceeds.

When desired, the detergent may be entirely cut ofi and the cleansed surface may be subjected to sprays of air and water, either hot o-r cold; or steam and water, or steam alone or air alone.

When the detergent reservoir 8 in Fig. 1, contains a charge o lthe detergent, and it is desired to stir up and agita-te the contents of the reservoir 8, valves 6, and 17 are closed and vent 11 is opened. lThen the valve 16 is turned on, allowing steam to agitate the mixture in chamber 8.

In Fig. 7 the agitation ofthe detergent may be effected in a similar manner.

There are provided for the regulating valves 33, 34 and 35 respectively, control valves 33', 34 and` 35. See Figs.` 3, 5 and 6.

In practical operation the attendant will set the regulating valve 22 to allow a predetermined amount of detergent to flow from the chamber 19 to the contro vvalve 27; the amount flowing through being sufiicient to supply the sight glass 13 with required drops of detergent per second through the nozzle 29.

It is possible with an automatic gas fuel steam boiler manufactured by us in combination with this inventiony to use apparatus 4for a long period without any attention; the

length of time being controlled by the capacity o`f the lfeed water storage supply and detergent storage supply.

Also it is possible with anautomatic gas water heater manufactured by us in combination with an air compressor, and this invention to continue the operation of the appara-tus Jfor a long period without attention of the operator as to the storage supply of detergent; the -length of time during which detergent may be discharged, being determined only by theY capacity of the detergent phamber, and the delivery from such chamicr.

The delivery of the mixture from chamber 14 is effected through a regulable nozzle so as to accommodate diderent pressures of the agents or vehicles employed; and this may be effected by supplying a hose 72 adaptedto serve as 'a nozzle of one diameter,l and detachably securing thereonto a nozzle 36 having wooden or other non-heat conducting handles 73, 73 and a` detachable nozzle tip 74 of successively less diameter so that the operator may employ a more or less restrictedc distributing outlet according to whether he uses the nozzle or tip,or the o-pen pipe.

The modes of using the supply from the nozzle either formed by the end of a hose, a pipevor the nozzle tip may be numerous. For example, milk bottles, milk cans, or other vessels may be cleaned by putting the open mouth of such vessel in position toreceive discharge from the pipe nozzle or tip, which may be-stationary for the purpose; or the pipe 72 may be a flexible hose to be handled by the operator to direct the discharge of the mixture of the detergent and the expansive vehicle to any place desired; or as above indicated t-he nozzle may be supplied with a finer tip 74 to spray and the detergent mixed therewith in a finer spray.

The arrangement of the plurality of nozzles discharglnginto the mixing chamber 14 allows the detergent to be delivered at the pipe end or nozzle or the nozzle tip in any desired condition or character of spray and when the mixing nozzles 33, 34 and 35'have been set the mixture may be changed by closing any of the control valves 33', 34', or 35 without disturbing the adjustment of the mixing nozzle.

The ways b', c, d and e threaded toreceive the connections 33, 34, 35 and 14 are angularly arranged to cause the mixture of dctergent, expansive medium vehicle as steam or compressed air, and the diluent as hot or cold water to be well mixed on the way to the pipe end or nozzle.

One of the non-heat conducting handles, as handle 73 may be journalled on the rigid nozzle 36 between the nuts 75 while the other handle 73 is xed to such nozzle to facilitate handling such rigid nozzle.

By producing the mixture from a flow of the detergent and flow of Steam coming together in the mixing chamber or passage 14.` together with the diluent, the diluent, the detergent and the steam are amalgamated so that when the substance issues from the discharging nozzle 74 the diluent and the steam are evenly impregnated throughout and the spray is more thoroughly effective as a cleanser than under other conditions heretofore prevailing.

W'e claim:

l. A cleansing apparatus comprising a detergent chamber; a mixing chamber; means for delivering detergent from the detergent chamber to the mixing chamber; a steam generator; a-source of cold water supply; a manifold connected to the steam generator and to the top of the detergent chamber; a valve in the manifold between the steam pipe and the top of the detergent chamber; a valved pipe between the manifold and the bottom of the detergent chamber; a bottom valved pipe from the manifold below the connection to the bottom of the Adetergent chamber; a nozzle connecting saidbottom valved pipe from the manifold to themixing chamber; means for Supplying a regulated iow of detergent from the detergent chamber to the mixing chamber; means for supplying a regulated flow of-cold water from the cold water supply to the mixing chamber; and means, for discharging mixture from the mixing chamber.

2. A cleansing apparatus comprisin a detergent chamber; a mixing cham er; means for delivering detergent from the detergent chamber to the mixing chamber; a steam generator; a steam pipe connected to the steam generator; a source of cold water Supply; a manifold connected to the steam pipe, a valved pipe connecting the manifold with the top of the detergent detergent chamber;

chamber; a valved pipe between the manij fold and the bottom of the detergent chamber; a bottom valved pipe from the manifold; a nozzle connecting said bottom valved pipe from the manifold with the mixing chamber; means for supplying a regulatediiow of detergent from the detergent chamber to the mixing chamber; means for supplying a regulated iow of cold water from the cold water supply to the mixing chamber; means for discharging mixture from the mixing chamber; and shut-olf means respectively for the supply means independently of the regulating means.

3. A cleansing apparatus comprising a a mixingchamber; means for delivering detergent from the detergent chamber to the mixing chamber;

a steam generator; a source of cold water' supply; a manifold connected tothe steam generator and to the top of the detergent chamber; a valve in the manifold between the steam pipe and the topof the detergent chamber; a valved pipe between the manifold and the bottom of the detergent chamber; a bottom valved pipe from the manifold below the connection to the bottom of the detergent chamber; a'nozzle connecting said bottom valved pipe from the manifold to the mixing chamber; means for Supplying a regulated How of detergent from the detergent chamber to the mixing chamber; means for supplyin -a regulated flow of cold water from the co d water supply to the mixing chamber; a hot water pipe; a nozzle for discharging hot water from said hot water pipe into the mixing chamber; means-to regulate 'said nozzle; and means for discharging mixture from the mixing chamber.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles, California,

this 21st day of November, 1924.

ALFRED H. THOMPSON. RUSSELL F. THOMPSON. 

